John Whyte
- Chief Executive Officer, American Medical Association
Washington, D.C.
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Physician, Author, CEO AMA. I am passionate about changing how we think about #Health. Views my own.
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Articles by John Whyte
Medicine Is a Team Sport
This transcript has been edited for clarity. Patients don't want to be treated by an algorithm. Patients don't want to be treated by a robot. We have the concept of trust in the physician-patient relationship. We can talk about the fidelity of the data, the algorithms and how they're used. But ultimately, what patients want to know is, can they trust you? Are you there for them to improve their health? We need to build that trust.
Trust Is Earned, Not Assumed
This transcript has been edited for clarity. Trust is a two-way street. I think that physicians are very focused, as they should be, on wanting patients to trust us and to know that we have the best intentions and the skills that are needed to address their underlying conditions. At the same time, physicians have to learn to trust their patients. Patients have a unique perspective. They often come in with information from online searches or AI tools they’ve used to come up with diagnosis.
Lifelong learning for physicians enters a new chapter
Every physician understands the responsibility to stay current with new evidence, evolving guidelines and emerging treatments. Our profession demands continuous growth because our patients deserve nothing less. Lifelong learning beyond clinical knowledge is more important today than it has ever been. Advancing public health AMA membership offers unique access to savings and resources tailored to enrich the personal and professional lives of physicians, residents and medical students.
El próximo reto no es recopilar datos de salud, sino utilizarlos adecuadamente
Un paciente llega a su cita con meses de información de salud recopilada antes incluso de entrar al consultorio. Su reloj inteligente ha monitoreado su frecuencia cardiaca, patrones de sueño, actividad, recuperación y otros indicadores de salud. Situaciones como esta son cada vez más comunes.
AMA: Structural barriers limit uptake of wearable technology in medicine
Key takeaways: Physician interest in wearable medical technologies is high. Reimbursement and trust remain barriers to uptake of wearable technologies in medicine. Despite strong physician enthusiasm, reimbursement and workflow issues have stifled uptake of wearable medical technologies, according to results of a recent survey conducted by the AMA. The AMA’s Center for Digital Health and AI, along with Medscape, conducted the 2026 International Physician Survey on Consumer Wearables.
WHYTE: Medicine’s future is already on your wrist
Technology increasingly affords physicians the opportunity to understand what happens between office visits • You can save this article by registering for free here. Or sign-in if you have an account. The Garmin Forerunner 55 Bluetooth Running Smartwatch. Long before a patient sees a physician, the visit has already begun. Don't have an account? Create Account Their smartwatch has tracked weeks of sleep, heart rhythm, physical activity and recovery.
The Next Challenge Isn’t Collecting Health Data. It’s Using It Well
A patient arrives for an appointment carrying months of health information collected before ever walking into the office. Their smartwatch has tracked their heart rhythm, sleep, activity, recovery, and other health metrics. Encounters like this are becoming increasingly common. About 1 in 4 physicians now report receiving weekly patient requests to review wearable health data. Those encounters reflect one of the most important shifts underway in medicine.
Ύπνος: Επιστήμονες αποκαλύπτουν το μυστικό για να ξυπνάτε με ενέργεια και πνευματική διαύγεια
Γιατί κάποιοι άνθρωποι ξυπνούν γεμάτοι ενέργεια, ενώ άλλοι νιώθουν εξαντλημένοι ακόμη και μετά από αρκετές ώρες ύπνου; Μια νέα επιστημονική μελέτη αποκαλύπτει ότι η απάντηση δεν εξαρτάται μόνο από τη διάρκεια του ύπνου. Οι ερευνητές εντόπισαν τέσσερις βασικούς παράγοντες που επηρεάζουν την πρωινή εγρήγορση, δείχνοντας ότι ο συνδυασμός ύπνου, άσκησης και σωστής διατροφής μπορεί να κάνει τη διαφορά.
Voices: Utah’s AI-prescribing experiment raises important questions about trust
Artificial intelligence is advancing across medicine at a remarkable pace. New tools are helping physicians reduce administrative burdens, improve communication and support clinical decision-making. But some are now performing functions that increasingly resemble the practice of medicine itself, while the guardrails needed to ensure safety, accountability and public trust are not keeping pace. That gap should concern everyone.
Millions use chatbots for mental health. Accountability can’t wait.
At 2 a.m., a 15-year-old sits on her bed, phone glowing in the dark. She doesn’t want to wake her parents. So she types into a chatbot to ask questions she’s never said out loud. The responses come quickly. Calm. Reassuring. Always there. But here’s the truth: she doesn’t know who, or what, is answering back. And neither do we. Across the country, more teens and young adults are turning to AI chatbots for something that looks and feels like mental health support.
Trust Is Becoming the Most Important Medicine We Have
A pediatrician recently described a conversation with parents who chose not to vaccinate their infant — a decision they attributed to false online claims that routine childhood vaccines are unsafe. The parents were not indifferent. Quite the opposite. They were deeply anxious and trying to protect their child. They had spent hours reading articles, scrolling social media, and listening to voices that spoke with certainty and conviction.
AMA Physician Entrepreneur Forum builds the skills you need now
Most physicians did not go into medicine to become entrepreneurs. We trained to care for patients, solve clinical problems and improve lives. But healthcare is changing rapidly and physicians can no longer afford to ignore the business forces reshaping medicine. Private equity. Consolidation. AI. Digital health. Value-based care. Declining payment. Administrative complexity. These realities now influence nearly every aspect of how physicians practice.
To 2026 graduates: You are medicine’s future—and its conscience
To the medical school class of 2026: Congratulations! You’ve earned this moment. You have arrived at a time when medicine itself is being rewritten—by technology, by data, and by the expectations of patients. Augmented intelligence (AI) is no longer theoretical. Predictive analytics are reshaping diagnosis. Gene editing is redefining what’s possible. Patients now arrive not just with symptoms, but with data—often curated by devices, apps, and algorithms.
How to google your symptoms without freaking out
Why does searching your symptoms online always leave you more frightened than before? As former chief medical officer of WebMD, physician John Whyte spent years believing more information meant better health — until he saw how too much of it was making people spiral. In a world of health influencers, algorithms and AI tools designed to keep you clicking, he reveals why clarity and context is a better prescription.
How You Stop a Prescription Medicine is as Important as How You Start
By John Whyte, MD, MPH Every day, millions of Americans take medications to manage chronic conditions or prevent disease. Prescription drugs are vital tools in modern medicine — but, in some circumstances, they can also lead to serious adverse drug interactions, diminished quality of life, and even life-threatening complications. This is a complex issue with high stakes for patients. Older adults, in particular, are often prescribed multiple drugs by different doctors for different reasons.
WHYTE: How You Stop a Prescription Medicine Is as Important as How You Start
Every day, millions of Americans take medications to manage chronic conditions or prevent disease. Prescription drugs are vital tools in modern medicine — but, in some circumstances, they can also lead to serious adverse drug interactions, diminished quality of life and even life-threatening complications. This is a complex issue with high stakes for patients. Older adults, in particular, are often prescribed multiple drugs by different doctors for different reasons.
How medication-assisted treatment impacts oral health
Medication-assisted treatment (MAT) helps manage withdrawal symptoms and cravings in individuals battling opioid addiction. Despite their effectiveness, these medications can cause xerostomia (dry mouth) and an increased craving for sweet foods. These factors together contribute to accelerated dental decay, gum disease, and oral infections.
COMMENTARY: How You Stop a Prescription Medicine is as Important as How You Start
By John Whyte, MD, MPH Every day, millions of Americans take medications to manage chronic conditions or prevent disease. Prescription drugs are vital tools in modern medicine — but, in some circumstances, they can also lead to serious adverse drug interactions, diminished quality of life, and even life-threatening complications. This is a complex issue with high stakes for patients. Older adults, in particular, are often prescribed multiple drugs by different doctors for different reasons.
What banking can teach health care about protecting patient data Original
Opinion>Opinions - Healthcare The views expressed by contributors are their own and not the view of The Hill by John Whyte, opinion contributor - 04/09/26 9:30 AM ET Link copied by John Whyte, opinion contributor - 04/09/26 9:30 AM ET Link copied Houston Methodist Hospital Chief Medical Information Officer Dr. Jordan Dale, MD stands in the virtual intensive care unit (VICU) operations center where where virtual nurse Ken Shultz, RN utilizes electronic technology paired with artificial...
Physician AI Adoption Is Surging: We Must Lead Its Integration
AI is not the future of medicine — it is the present, already influencing how care is delivered in hospitals and clinics every day. John Whyte, MD, MPH New research from the American Medical Association’s Center for Digital Health and AI shows just how quickly augmented intelligence is becoming part of everyday clinical practice. In 2023, about 38% of physicians reported using some form of AI in their work. Today, that number is 81%.
Ύπνος: Επιστήμονες αποκαλύπτουν το μυστικό για πρωινό ξύπνημα με ενέργεια και διαύγεια
Μια πρόσφατη επιστημονική μελέτη δείχνει ότι το πόσο ξεκούραστοι και αναζωογονημένοι νιώθουμε, όταν ξυπνάμε το πρωί, δεν εξαρτάται μόνο από τον ύπνο, αλλά από έναν συνδυασμό καθημερινών συνηθειών. Συγκεκριμένα, τρεις βασικοί παράγοντες φαίνεται να παίζουν καθοριστικό ρόλο: η ποιότητα και η διάρκεια του ύπνου, η σωματική δραστηριότητα της προηγούμενης ημέρας και η σύσταση του πρωινού γεύματος.
John Whyte: How you stop a prescription medicine is as important as how you start
Every day, millions of Americans take medications to manage chronic conditions or prevent disease. Prescription drugs are vital tools in modern medicine — but, in some circumstances, they can also lead to serious adverse drug interactions, diminished quality of life, and even life-threatening complications. kAm%9:D :D 2 4@>A=6I :DDF6 H:E9 9:89 DE2<6D 7@C A2E:6?ED] ~=56C 25F=ED[ :? A2CE:4F=2C[ 2C6 @7E6?
COMMENTARY: How You Stop a Prescription Medicine is as Important as How You Start
American News Updates NNPA NEWSWIRE — This is a complex issue with high stakes for patients. Older adults, in particular, are often prescribed multiple drugs by different doctors for different reasons. The Centers for Disease Control reports that nearly 70% of adults 40-79 years used one or more prescriptions in the past 30 days and over 20% used five or more prescriptions. By John Whyte, MD, MPH Every day, millions of Americans take medications to manage chronic conditions or prevent disease.
How you stop a prescription medicine is as important as how you start
Every day, millions of Americans take medications to manage chronic conditions or prevent disease. Prescription drugs are vital tools in modern medicine -- but, in some circumstances, they can also lead to serious adverse drug interactions, diminished quality of life, and even life-threatening complications. This is a complex issue with high stakes for patients. Older adults, in particular, are often prescribed multiple drugs by different doctors for different reasons.
How you stop a prescription medicine is as important as how you start
Every day, millions of Americans take medications to manage chronic conditions or prevent disease. Prescription drugs are vital tools in modern medicine — but, in some circumstances, they can also lead to serious adverse drug interactions, diminished quality of life and even life-threatening complications. This is a complex issue with high stakes for patients. Older adults in particular are often prescribed multiple drugs by different doctors for different reasons.
OPINION: How you stop a prescription medicine is as important as how you start
Every day, millions of Americans take medications to manage chronic conditions or prevent disease. Prescription drugs are vital tools in modern medicine—but, in some circumstances, they can also lead to serious adverse drug interactions, diminished quality of life, and even life-threatening complications. This is a complex issue with high stakes for patients. Older adults, in particular, are often prescribed multiple drugs by different doctors for different reasons.
How you stop a prescription medicine is as important as how you start
Every day, millions of Americans take medications to manage chronic conditions or prevent disease. Prescription drugs are vital tools in modern medicine -- but, in some circumstances, they can also lead to serious adverse drug interactions, diminished quality of life, and even life-threatening complications . This is a complex issue with high stakes for patients. Older adults, in particular, are often prescribed multiple drugs by different doctors for different reasons.
Deprescribing in health care: Why less medication can be more
Every day, millions of Americans take medications to manage chronic conditions or prevent disease. Prescription drugs are vital tools in modern medicine, but in some circumstances, they can also lead to serious adverse drug interactions, diminished quality of life, and even life-threatening complications. This is a complex issue with high stakes for patients. Older adults, in particular, are often prescribed multiple drugs by different doctors for different reasons.
Physicians must tell their own story-for patients’ sake
In a time when trust in institutions is eroding and health care decisions are increasingly shaped by sound bites rather than science, it’s never been more important for physicians to tell their own story. Physician advocacy is not about politics; it’s about patients. It is about making sure policies reflect clinical realities, support high-quality care, and strengthen the patient-physician relationship that is bedrock in medicine.
AMA is investing in physician leaders to improve community health
Every day, physicians see what too often stands in the way of their patients living healthier lives. We see the lack of safe housing. Food deserts. Missed appointments because of unreliable transportation. And we know the tools available in the exam room alone can’t solve these problems.
Prioritizing physician well-being prioritizes patient health
Every physician I know has a story about a colleague who has struggled with their mental health or even quit the profession because of the challenges of what we do. With nearly one in two physicians in the U.S. experiencing symptoms of burnout, this is a critical moment for medicine and health care. Physicians know it; we feel it—and with a worsening physician shortage, reduced access to care for patients is the disastrous downstream result.
AI holds great promise for health care, and Trump’s action plan is a good first step
Physicians understand the transformative potential of AI to improve care delivery and patient outcomes — and realizing that promise will require physician-led innovation and thoughtful decisions made today to create the future for medicine we all want. The impact of health care technology hinges on the reliability of its underlying systems, whether algorithms, devices, or data, and how thoughtfully it is designed, deployed, and integrated.
Opinion - AI holds great promise for health care, and Trump’s action plan is a good first step
Physicians understand the transformative potential of AI to improve care delivery and patient outcomes — and realizing that promise will require physician-led innovation and thoughtful decisions made today to create the future for medicine we all want. The impact of health care technology hinges on the reliability of its underlying systems, whether algorithms, devices, or data, and how thoughtfully it is designed, deployed, and integrated.
The Role of Enablement Theory in Rehabilitation Practice, Education, and Research
Keywords Enablement theory treatment therapy rehabilitation research Physical Therapy occupational therapy Speech therapy rehabilitation treatment specification List of abbreviations ICF (International Classification of Functioning, Disability, and Health) LLWS (Live Long Walk Strong) RTSS (Rehabilitation Treatment Specification System) SFA (Semantic Feature Analysis) Get full text access Log in, subscribe or purchase for full access. References 1. Hart, T. ∙ Dijkers, M.P. ∙ Whyte, J. ...
What’s Behind the Shortage of Primary Care Doctors?
Looking for work in Fresno County? See available jobs paying up to $245,000 a year Are you looking for work right now, or do you know someone who is? Fresno County is hiring for multiple positions in various departments, including …
My patients feel healthier on Ozempic. It's not the best answer for weight loss.
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My patients feel healthier on Ozempic. It's not the best answer for weight loss. | Opinion
Prescription weight loss drugs , known as GLP-1s , are sweeping the country. The drugs, which include blockbuster medications like Ozempic and Wegovy, have helped millions of Americans quickly shed excess pounds. About say they've taken one. But as a doctor, I must caution that these drugs might not be the miracle they seem to be. In fact, GLP-1s might be making it harder for physicians to guide patients toward lifestyle changes − the real key to long-term health − and for patients to adopt them.
Rehabilitation Treatment Specification System for Voice Therapy: Application to Everyday Clinical Care
PURPOSE: Rehabilitation intervention descriptions often do not explicitly identify active ingredients or how those ingredients lead to changes in patient functioning. The Rehabilitation Treatment Specification System (RTSS) provides guidance to identify the critical aspects of any rehabilitation therapy and supported the development of standardly named ingredients and targets in voice therapy (Rehabilitation Treatment Specification System for Voice Therapy [RTSS-Voice]).
Change Makers: Joe Kiani on Home-Based Care
The CEO of Masimo speaks with WebMD CMO John Whyte, MD, MPH, about how wearables and AI can advance home-based care. This transcript has been edited for clarity. John Whyte, MD, MPH: Hello. I'm Dr John Whyte, the chief medical officer of WebMD, and you're watching Change Makers: The Future of Health. What does the future of healthcare hold over the next few years? Will we see a shift toward home-based care over hospitals? Will wearables become the go-to for diagnostics?
When It Comes to Medicine, ‘Women Are Not Small Men’
Welcome everyone. I’m Dr. John White. I’m the chief medical officer at WebMD. Does your biologic sex impact your health? Does it have any play in how you’re diagnosed, how you’re treated in terms of what symptoms you have? Of course it does. We all know that. But that’s not something that many people believed 5, 10 years ago, certainly not 20 years ago. And it was only because of leaders like my guest today, Phyllis Greenberger, who really championed the need for research on women’s health.
Defining paediatric neurorehabilitation: You cannot improve what you cannot characterize
PRISM Paediatric Rehabilitation IngredientS Measure RTSS Rehabilitation Treatment Specification System What this paper adds Identifying the effects of neurorehabilitation treatment is challenging. Part of the challenge is robust identification of active ingredients and mechanisms of action. There should be clear hypotheses about the mechanisms of action of rehabilitation ingredients. This will allow ingredients' efficacy to be evaluated against those aspects of outcome predicted to change.
Is it dangerous to smoke weed? What you need to know about using marijuana.
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Is it dangerous to smoke weed? What you need to know about using marijuana.
The push to legalize marijuana at the federal level has gained ground ever since California legalized it for medical use nearly 30 years ago. in 24 states and Washington, D.C. Only four states still outlaw marijuana with no medical exceptions. In 2022, President Joe Biden ordered a review of the drug's status as a Schedule I substance, which denotes that a drug has no accepted medical use and has high potential for abuse.
Is It Time to Start Taping Our Mouths Shut While We Sleep?
Much like the ‘sleepy girl mocktail’ trend that blew up on TikTok earlier this year, mouth taping is the bedtime ritual that has an impressive list of potential benefits. Many people claim the practice can lead to a deeper, more restful beauty sleep and help you wake up with more energy, a brighter complexion, and, over time, even a more chiseled jawline. So, is it time to start mouth taping?
Feeling holiday stress? How to say 'no' and set boundaries with your family at Christmas. Original
Holidays involve cultural, religious and family traditions that touch on our identities and sense of self. Recognize that these are emotionally loaded times. Dr. Phil McGraw and Dr. John Whyte | Opinion contributors Show Caption Hide Caption Navigating the festive frenzy: Expert tips It's the most wonderful (and busy) time of the year, right? But hold on—could you be adding unnecessary stress to your life?
ASH President Reflects Before Annual Meeting on Hematology
close Please confirm that you would like to log out of Medscape. If you log out, you will be required to enter your username and password the next time you visit. JOHN WHYTE: Welcome, everyone. I'm Dr. John Whyte. I'm the chief medical officer at WebMD. Hematology is an area of medicine that's really quite fascinating. It involves genetics, epigenetics, immunology, immunotherapy, infectious disease. And there has been quite a lot of advancement in the past year to treat hematologic conditions.
Change Makers: Bill Meury on Transformative Medicines
close Please confirm that you would like to log out of Medscape. If you log out, you will be required to enter your username and password the next time you visit. Bill Meury, president and CEO of Karuna Therapeutics, speaks with WebMD Chief Medical Officer John Whyte, MD, about the differences in drug development in psychiatry and the importance of innovation. This transcript has been edited for clarity. John Whyte, MD, MPH: Bill, thanks for joining me today. Bill Meury: Great to be here.
Patients need access to critical medication information. A new FDA rule would limit it.
Medical professionals know that sharing clear and accurate health information with patients empowers them to make wise decisions that set them on a path to healthier living. Educating patients about their prescription medications is especially important. Since millions of Americans rely on prescription medication, effective patient medication information (PMI) is more important than ever.
Can You Help Prevent Ovarian Cancer?
close Please confirm that you would like to log out of Medscape. If you log out, you will be required to enter your username and password the next time you visit. JOHN WHYTE: Welcome, everyone. I'm Dr. John Whyte. I'm the Chief Medical Officer at WebMD. And you're watching Cancer in Context. When we talk about cancer, we often don't talk about ovarian cancer. Yet, someone is diagnosed every 40 minutes. And within 5 years, most people diagnosed have died.
What Healthcare Professionals Say Is Needed
close Please confirm that you would like to log out of Medscape. If you log out, you will be required to enter your username and password the next time you visit. Walmart and WebMD/Medscape partnered to create a comprehensive survey of over 10,000 healthcare professionals, the first and largest study to assess barriers and solutions to care delivery from the perspectives of those on the front lines of healthcare.
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